10 Classic Cleaners That've Stood the Test of Time

Though they lost visibility to other heavily marketed cleaners in the last several decades, most of the classic cleaning products your mom and grandma used are still available today. Many of these staples predate the chemical and detergent revolution in the cleaning product industry. They are enjoying a resurgence in popularity as consumers look for more natural and eco-friendly options for maintaining their homes. Take a look under your mom’s kitchen sink. She most likely still has many of these tried-and-true products, because she knows better than to fix it if it ain’t broke.

Bon Ami

Bon Ami has been “green” since before green was concept. It removes burnt-on grease from casserole pans as easily as it takes a scuff off your floor and cleans your tub or sink. When the chemical revolution in cleaners came, Bon Ami stayed true to its roots and has remained an all-natural cleanser for more than 125 years.

Borax

Borax has been around as a laundry detergent booster and general cleaner since the early 20th century. But it can also help you steam clean your carpets and clean your pots and pans. It’s 100 percent natural and is often used as an active ingredient in DIY cleaning solutions.

Castile Soap

Castile soap is a 100 percent plant-based soap that contains no chemical detergents or animal products. This olive-oil-based soap, produced in Europe since the 1600s, can be used for dishwashing, laundry, and other household cleaning tasks.

Bar Keepers Friend

Bar Keepers Friend came into being in 1882, after a chemist in Indianapolis noticed that his tarnished pot became sparkly clean after cooking rhubarb in it. He created a talcum-smooth cleanser incorporating the same active ingredient found in the plant, and sold his formulation to tavern owners, who used it for cleaning their brass fixtures. It’s still a favorite today for use on brass, stainless steel, ceramic, porcelain, and more.

Arm & Hammer

Arm & Hammer baking soda has been a fixture in homes for over 165 years. It’s not only useful in baking, but it's a gentle and effective household cleanser. Safe to use around kids, foods, and pets, it’s gaining appreciation from a whole new generation.

Murphy’s Oil Soap

There was surely a bottle of Murphy’s Oil Soap under your grandmother’s sink. This vegetable-oil-derived product has been in use since 1910. It’s currently marketed by Colgate-Palmolive for cleaning and maintaining wood, but it can also be used on non-wood surfaces, such as tile, laminate, vinyl, linoleum, and granite.

Brasso

The liquid polish Brasso has been used for more than a century to clean and brighten many types of metal, including brass, chrome, and copper. It’s changed little over the years, but it continues to find new uses. Got a scratched DVD? Brasso can smooth out those scratches and reduce their effect.

Fels-Naptha

The pretreating laundry soap Fels-Naptha, introduced in 1893, is particularly good at removing oil-based stains. It’s often an ingredient in DIY cleaning solutions and also makes an excellent insecticidal soap for those who garden.

Clorox

Clorox has been a household staple since the early 1900s. Although often referred to as chlorine bleach, household bleach has a completely different chemistry that’s derived from common table salt. While it gained fame as a laundry workhorse, Clorox also kills bacteria, which makes it useful for sanitizing all kinds of surfaces, especially during flu season.